Since the slump of the economy starting in late 2007, companies funded by venture capital firms also have seen a decline in the number of initial public offerings.  Stock investors are simply not putting money into new companies, but 2010 may see a return of new IPOs from venture capital-backed companies.

During a recession, skittish stock investors tend to act conservatively with their money, selling stock to put funds into more safe investments that will help retain value, such as gold or government issued securities. Putting money into a new, untested stock company is just another risk that investors are not willing to take.

What 2010 Will Bring

However, according to a recent article from the Wall Street Journal, 2010 looks promising for newer, small company valuations. In fact, the end of 2009 showed a more fair valuation in stock prices than over the last two years.

What does that mean for stock investors?  Stocks are realizing a more accurate valuation, which means that investors are placing their trust and funds back into equities.  Thus, with a higher risk tolerance this year, stock investors may be more attracted to buying stock in new VC-backed IPOs, especially since IPO stocks are typically discounted as a compensation for investor risk.

In addition, venture-backed companies who issue an IPO are typically considered small or mid-cap investments. There is a wide range of investors who do want to invest in these types of stock categories, including mutual funds and larger corporate investors like insurance companies. Small to mid cap venture-backed companies will be of interest to them as they seek to increase the value of their stock portfolios in 2010.

The Growth in IPOs This Year

Just how many new venture capital-backed IPOs could we see in 2010? 2009 saw only 8 such IPOs, according to information from Dow Jones VentureSource. But according to the WSJ article, one expert projects 30 to 50 new IPOs could happen this year. In fact, the Dow Jones VentureSource already has 33 venture capital-backed IPOs filed with the SEC.

So far in 2010 no venture capital-backed companies have made an IPO showing. However, if the data is correct, 2010 could actually see the return of the IPO for venture capital investment companies.

Tags: angel investors, business capital, find angel investors, find business funding, find venture capital, funding, startups, vcs, venture capital

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